Coupons and Eating Healthy

Tonight I was privileged to teach Enrichment night at my church, a night where women get together and learn new homemaking or life skills. I used to teach the "coupon classes" all the time. At least that was before I went rogue.

A while back I helped to start a coupon website that has since become pretty popular in Utah, where I live. At one point I was even offered a television spot in Arizona to promote the site. I knew all the ins and outs and was that lady that everyone hates...the one that gets two carts full of groceries for $20 and takes FOREVER at the checkout. I saved so much money that, at the time, it was well worth all the scoffs from the people in line and the time spent clipping coupons. And I did it the easy way! I spent maybe an hour once a week tops, organizing and cutting coupons.

And then I got into nutrition and fitness. I noticed a trend with the foods that were listed in coupons and sale ads. I had a pantry stocked with Campbell's soup, sugary granola bars, fruit snacks, frozen dinners, etc. I didn't normally buy that stuff, but how could I miss out when it was practically free? Sure I was getting my groceries at a fraction of the cost, but the quality of our food seemed to be subpar. It's a common conclusion that many people come to. In fact, even tonight my friend commented "It seems like the only type of food the coupons are for are convenience foods."

It's a valid question. Can you "coupon" and still eat healthy?

In short, yes you can. You have to be careful though. You can get caught up in the savings and forget about quality over price. Here are a few tips to help you save cash and still buy healthy foods:

1. If you wouldn't buy it full price, don't get it even if it's FREE! Don't let the sale ads dominate or control your food choices. Manufactures are willing to produce coupons because they know that most people will try their item if they can get it cheap enough. Don't let them make your choices for you.
2. Use coupons for non-food items like; toiletries, detergents, make-up, diapers, paper goods, school supplies, etc. Don't pay full price for those items when you can get them deeply discounted.
3. Combine sale prices with coupons for a double whammy savings.
4. Remember that all items tend to go on sale every 3 months. If you missed the big sale this time, wait until it goes on sale again. And remember to stock up when you do get the item on sale so that you have a 3 months supply to get you through the next sale.
5. Pay full price for quality items when necessary like; vitamins, fish oil, protein powder, whole grains, produce. It's not always true, but with some things you really do get what you pay for.
6. Skip packaged food, packaged dinners, packaged snacks, the types of food you usually get with coupons. Avoid the sugary cereals when they go on sale too. It doesn't matter how cheap it is, crap is crap no matter how little you paid for it! Remember the scripture, "don't spend your money for that which has no worth." This would be a very literal interpretation of that.
7. Look into local Farmer's markets. You can get fresh, organic, local (read eco-friendly) foods often times much cheaper than at regular grocery stores. Buy produce when it is in season and bottle or can the surplus so you can eat it all year.
8. Plant a garden. Nothing beats garden fresh tomatoes from your own backyard. Not to mention you can choose to plant only the foods that your family will eat. This is the cheapest way I know of to get fresh produce. Plus, you can put your kids to work and teach them the joy of the harvest after working hard for it!
9. Sam's Club and Costco for SELECT items. Overall, they really aren't that much cheaper than say, Walmart. BUT, there are a few select items that I buy that are always cheaper there. I buy my meats, bread and some produce there as well as some clothing items. I go in with a list, walk fast and get out quick. When I start to roam I end up spending way too much money there. The owner of the website I helped to start used to say that the slogan for bulk stores is "Folks going broke to save money."
10. Last of all, plan ahead before you go to the store. In the past, I have literally spent over a hundred dollars at the grocery store and walked away with nothing to make dinner with. Meal planning is not only essential for saving money, it's vital to preparing and eating healthy food for you and your family. At the very least, plan a couple of days worth of meals and the ingredients you need for them. With a plan in hand, you will be less tempted to buy the 10 for $10 fruit snacks or .79 cents Sugar Puffs.